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The Best Smart Home Devices of 2018—So Far

We look back at a few of our favorite gadgets we’ve profiled this year

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Our pics for the first six months of 2018.

Our pics for the first six months of 2018.

As 2018 reaches its midpoint, we’re taking a look back at a few of the more innovative intelligent devices we’ve profiled in Smart Homes this year.

Below, our favorites from 2018—so far.

Kobi

While winter may be a distant memory—at least in the Northern Hemisphere—our fondness for the Kobi has not faded one bit. This bright little bot will take it upon itself to rid your driveway of snow, beginning its blowing process as soon as it detects flakes falling and performing its route at regular intervals, thus preventing any serious accumulation. Better still, Kobi can be outfitted with leaf-blowing and lawn-mowing attachments, making it a multi-talented and multi-seasonal machine.

Kobi’s first round of models have sold out, but interested parties can sign up for notifications on the next available units at thekobi.com.

First appeared in:Snow Removal the Smart Way

Foldimate

Relief from the laborious tedium of Laundry Day is in sight. Foldimate, a wondrous machine that should come standard with any washer, does exactly what it sounds like—folds freshly laundered (or fully soiled; your choice!) clothes on demand. Users simply feed their clothes—fax machine-style—into the top of the machine, and Folidmate dispenses the perfectly folded articles below, freeing owners to spend their Sundays as intended—lazily. The Foldimate is currently capable of working with any type of shirt, blouse, or pants for kids clothes from age 5 and up to adult size XXL.

The Folidmate will be available at the end of 2019 and retail for $980.

First appeared in: The Best Smart Home Gadgets from CES 2018

Sobro

Everything else in your life is connected, why not your coffee table? The Sobro is a sleek and stylish, tempered-glass-topped coffee table that includes two USB charging ports, two power outlets, LED lighting, a bluetooth speaker and a touchscreen control panel. But the coolest feature of the Sobro is quite literally cool—the high-tech furniture has a refrigerated drawer capable of holding up to 32 cans of beer, or any other perishable product you need at arm’s length.

Since we last wrote about the Sobro coffee table, the company has launched a Wi-Fi-enabled side table that features all the same features as the coffee table, including a smaller cooler drawer, as well as wireless charging, motion sensor lighting and an app-controlled locking storage drawer.

The Sobro Coffee Table is available now for $1,499, and the Sobro Smart Side Table will be available in November for $899 but can be reserved now.

First appeared in: A Guide to High-Tech Coffee Tables

Sensate with Kohler Konnect

Finally, a faucet you can talk to. Kohler, always on the cutting edge of design and innovation, will be bringing to market Sensate with Kohler Konnect, a stylish and serpentine sink attachment that offers users the ability to control water flow with their voice. In addition to the standard on/off functions, owners will be able to tell the Sensate to dispense an exact amount of water, or to fill up a pot to a certain level, and can keep track of their water usage via the accompanying Kohler Konnect app. Of course, if you’re old fashioned, you can still control the Sensate with the standard handle—it still looks great.

Pricing and availability for the Sensate with Kohler Konnect has not yet been announced, but the faucet will come in three styles (Polished Chrome, Vibrant Stainless or Oil-Rubbed Bronze) when launched. Interested parties can sign up at Kohler.com to be notified ahead of its launch.

First appeared in: Futuristic Faucets for Every Kitchen

Tetra

The Tetra is nothing short of a miracle machine for any miniature home. The internet-connected countertop dishwasher, which requires no plumbing, is capable of cleaning two full place settings including plates, cups and bowls in about 10 minutes. But that’s just the start—Tetra’s unique (and patented) technology enables the tiny, game-transforming gadget to heat water to levels high above standard dishwashers, allowing home cooks to prepare lobster and other seafood dishes in the device.

The Tetra will be available in late 2018 for $300.

First appeared in: The Latest High-Tech Kitchen Gadgets

Temi

What if you could combine all of your favorite digital devices into one machine AND have it follow you all around your home? Meet Temi, a personal robot that hopes to be an essential addition to your household. Featuring a 10.1 touchscreen atop a 3.2-foot-tall minimalist frame, the Temi is able to traverse your home—without colliding into your furniture—and provide you with a host of useful, connected capabilities on demand. The intelligent automaton is able to shoot photos and video as well as conduct video calls as you move, automatically altering its screen angle as appropriate. Temi will also stream playlists, podcasts and TV shows and can provide the latest world news when prompted. And of course, Temi allows users to control all of their other home-connected devices (lights, locks, etc.) simply by talking to Temi.

When available—slated for sometime in 2018—Temi will cost around $1,500, but at the moment, the makers of the device are looking for early adopters to take Temi into their home for a week, for free. Interested parties can sign up at robotemi.com/eap First appeared in:Invite a Robot Into Your Home

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